Who could be a first-time All-Star this year?

TORONTO, ON - DECEMBER 05: Ben Simmons #25 of the Philadelphia 76ers dribbles during their game against the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena on December 5, 2018 in Toronto, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images) /

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SACRAMENTO, CA – DECEMBER 23: De’Aaron Fox #5 of the Sacramento Kings looks on after play against the New Orleans Pelicans on December 23, 2018 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) /

De’Aaron Fox, Sacramento Kings

As a rookie, De’Aaron Fox was a raw, promising point guard prospect.

As a sophomore, he’s an All-Star candidate.

Thanks to Fox and Buddy Hield, the Sacramento Kings are more competitive than they’ve been in years. The former is averaging 18.1 points on 47.3 percent shooting, 7.5 assists, 3.4 rebounds, 1.6 steals and 1.3 triples in 31.8 minutes per game, a drastic uptick from the 11.6 points on 41.2 percent shooting, 4.4 assists, 2.8 rebounds, 1.0 steals and 0.6 triples he averaged in 27.8 minutes per game last year.

Much like Tobias Harris, Fox’s on-off splits speak to his wide-ranging impact on this Kings team. With Fox on the court, Sacramento outscores its opponents by a good-but-not-great 2.9 points per 100 possessions. With him on the bench, however, the Kings get outscored by a whopping 9.2 points per 100 possessions. That 12.1-point on-off difference leads the team by a landslide.

The Kings are on pace for their most wins in more than a decade, which further bolsters Fox’s All-Star case. He isn’t putting up inflated stats on a bad team; he’s accumulating big numbers while helping a perennial lottery squad compete for a playoff spot for the first time since the 2005-06 season.

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Numbers won’t be in Fox’s favor, as he’ll have to supplant at least one of Stephen Curry, Russell Westbrook, James Harden, Damian Lillard, Klay Thompson, Mike Conley and Luka Doncic to land an All-Star spot. But regardless of whether he makes it this year, his career trajectory and that of the Kings looks far brighter than it did 12 months ago.

Honorable mentions: Clint Capela, Houston Rockets; Steven Adams, Oklahoma City Thunder; Rudy Gobert, Utah Jazz

Unless otherwise noted, all stats via NBA.com or Basketball-Reference and are current through Tuesday, Dec. 25. All salary information via Basketball Insiders.

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